Gun Trafficking Group In Montco, Bucks, Philly Dismantled: Authorities

ABINGTON, PA — Regional authorities descended on this eastern Montgomery County community on Thursday afternoon to announce criminal charges in a gun trafficking organization that prosecutors said put illegal guns on the street in Montgomery County, Bucks County and the City of Philadelphia.

Five men were arrested for making 'straw purchases' of firearms throughout the region and illegally reselling them to individuals in the three counties.

"These defendants were acting together with the sole purpose of making money by putting firearms in the hands of people who cannot lawfully buy and possess guns, in effect arming criminals and in particular arming criminals with firearms capable of firing many, many bullets in a very short amount of time," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in his remarks. "Straw purchases and the sale of those guns to people who cannot legally buy their own firearm is dangerous to the safety of all of our communities, especially when the guns have obliterated serial numbers as these guns did. Gun trafficking is a significant threat to public safety and should concern every law-abiding citizen."

Steele was joined in his announcement by Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub and Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy.

Those arrested were brothers Clayton Robinson, 20, Julian Robinson, 31, and Kenneth Robinson, 18, all of Glenside, Montgomery County; Maurice Baker, IV, 23, of Bristol, Bucks County; Brett Portner, 22, of Jenkintown, Montgomery County; and Joseph Lynch, III, 25, of Carrollton, Georgia.

Clayton Robinson was the alleged leader of the gun running operation, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

His two brothers helped resell the guns on the street, and the remaining defendants are the ones who allegedly obtained the guns through straw purchases.

Authorities said the operation was uncovered when police found Clayton Robinson was found to be in possession of an illegal handgun, despite him being 20 years old at the time.

Law enforcement agencies began looking into the matter, and what ensued was a multi-jurisdictional investigation in which it was discovered that the defendants were all in communication with one another regarding the gun sales.

Investigators ended up discovering that Lynch bought 17 firearms for the gun trafficking organization between November 2020 and March 2021; Portner purchased five guns between January 2021 and February 2022; and Baker purchased 12 guns between May 2021 and December of that year, according to prosecutors.

Authorities also stated that once the guns were in Clayton Robinson's possession, he would use a power tool to illegally obliterate their serial numbers. Text message conversations between himself and buyers showed that the buyers knew the guns would have their serial numbers wiped.

Prosecutors also said that other communications between Clayton Robinson and gun purchasers revealed that Robinson was also selling "switches," a slang term for special kits that convert semiautomatic handguns into fully automatic ones.

Authorities praised the dismantling of the gun ring.

"Fighting illegal gun trafficking is our top priority in Bucks," Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said in remarks. "We are gaining great ground in this area with the help of great partners like the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, and many other local, county, state and Federal law enforcement partners. When we work together, all of us are safer. That's how we win."

Prosecutors said that so far, only six of the 34 illegally resold guns have been recovered.

The six guns were recovered in Abington Township, Montgomery County; Middletown Township, Bucks County; Yardley Borough, Bucks County; and Bensalem Township, Bucks County.

The defendants are facing a slew of charges including felony counts of corrupt organizations and conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, unlawful transfer of a firearm, criminal use of a communications facility, and materially false statements and other offenses.

All defendants have been arraigned and are scheduled for preliminary hearings in mid-December.

The investigation also included the FBI Task Force, the ATF, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General's Gun Violence Task Force.